Here’s Why Microsoft Is Investing In Subsea Cables

Microsoft announced  on Monday that it has struck a partnership to connects its data centres around the world. This would be achieved using subsea fibre optic cables.

” We announced deals with Hibernia and Aqua Comms, in which Microsoft is investing in a cable with each company to connect Microsoft’s datacenter infrastructure from North America to Ireland and on to the United Kingdom. These cables will help deliver data at higher speeds, with higher capacity and lower latency for our customers across the globe.

Additionally, we joined a consortium comprised of China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Chunghwa Telecom, KT Corporation with TE SubCom as the cable supplier. As part of our participation in the consortium, Microsoft will invest in its first physical landing station in the US connecting North America to Asia. The New Cross Pacific (NCP) Cable Network will provide faster data connections for customers, aid Microsoft in competing on cloud costs, all while creating jobs and spurring local economies. The goal of our expansions and investments in subsea cables is so our customers have the greatest access to scale and highly available data, anywhere.”

Microsoft’s cloud services are growing with its 365 subscription service now recording over 10 million users. Other tech companies who have invested in subsea cables are Facebook and Google. In Nigeria, MainOne and Glo both have invested in subsea cables across the West African coast. South Africa is another country in Africa known to have invested in this kind of infrastructure.